Archive for the ‘Inspiring’ Category

This woman inspires me. At 72 she is still looking after her body and health. She exercises daily and never quits. Other people her age are probably just sitting around watching TV all day or just lazing around. Even people half her age are too busy working to actually take the time to work out.

I had written down some lifestyle changes I wanted to make a while back and I am proud to announce that I am on my way towards a healthier lifestyle. My mother bought me a bicycle for my birthday and I have been riding it to and from work religiously. The ride itself is about 2 miles which takes me approximately 15-20 minutes. So each day I bike about 4 miles in 30-40 minutes. I really enjoy taking the extra time in the morning to breathe in the fresh air and realize how beautiful everything is in the morning. When we drive a car we tend to rush towards our next destination without looking at the scenery around us. When I ride my bike I start noticing the little things in life like breakfast being cooked down the street and kids being walked to the bus station by their parents. Its kind of nice noticing these things. Besides riding my bike I have continued to hike at least once a week.

These past few weeks have been filled with great times with fantastic friends. During this past weekend, one of my friends organized a beach cruise. There was about 7 cars in total and we all cruised down PCH. It was a bit tedious having to pull aside to wait cars stuck at the light but in the end we all made it to our destination. Half of the party stayed for the beach while the other half was just there for the cruise. We had a great day filled with laughs, smores, ghetto dogs and fighting for fire pits.

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.”

-Bernice Johnson Reagon

Many people are scared of failing and its a normal feeling. However, when you let rejection and failure control your life that’s when its toxic. People who let these feelings control their lives no longer strive to better themselves. Instead they settle for a mediocre position where they know they’re safe. This is not a healthy way to live. We should be out there each day challenging ourselves to be the best that we can be and not settle.

I, myself, am guilty of letting rejection control my decisions. I know I am capable of doing so much more with my life but I’m scared of failing. When friends tell me of job openings I constantly turn them down because I feel that I am unqualified or that they want someone with more experience. But that’s where I need to change my perspective. It doesn’t matter if the business turns me down, at least I tried.

See the key here is that you need to TRY. Even if you are not fully qualified for the job the interviewer might like your personality and decide that they can train you for the position. Or maybe the interviewer decides that you are more qualified for a different position they are looking for. You never know where you’ll end up if you don’t put yourself out there and try. We need to aim high and hope that we are the best and most qualified and even if we’re not we will still end up where we’re suppose to be. Give yourself a chance. You might be surprised at where you end up.

A teacher once showed us a movie during class. The reason I remember this movie was because it really touched my heart and showed me that people can change if given a chance. The movie was called Pay It Forward.

In this film a boy named Trevor McKinney receives an assignment from his teacher that results in a revolution. The assignment was to ‘think of something to change the world and put it into action‘. After reviewing his assignment, Trevor conjures up the notion of paying it forward instead of back. In simpler terms, he is asking that a good deed be repaid by having it done for others instead, specifically three people. The film continues to show how a little boy was able to change the world by simply paying attention and showing a little kindness to those who needed it. It proved that a little kindness can change a person’s perspective and attitude.

The world we live in today constantly tells us that ‘you can only count on yourself’ and ‘to get to the top you have to step on a few toes to get there’. But what happens when you reach the top? You have everything you ever wanted but when you look back are you proud of yourself? Was hurting other people worth your new position?

I believe that humanity still exists in this world. For example, in the Olympics, Meghan Vogel, a 17-year-old Olympian, was participating in the 3,200 meter run. During the race she caught up to her competitor, Arden McMath, whose body was giving out on her. Instead of racing past her to avoid last place, Vogel, made the decision to put McMath’s arm around her shoulder and helped her across the finish line. This is true sportsmanship. Humanity does exist.

So my question to you is will you be like Trevor McKinney from Pay It Forward? Will you show kindness to those around you without expecting anything in return?

I challenge you to show a little kindness to someone today. Show others that humanity does exist in our world. pay it forward.

“Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold,happiness dwells in the soul”

-Democritus

The world we live in constantly reminds us that money is everything. Without money we would never be able to survive yet alone be happy. As children we were told to dream big and that we could be anything we wanted. Yet as we grew older, the more we realized that our dreams will not put the food on the table nor will it put a roof over our heads. We decided to create more realistic dreams and set forth to accomplish them. But in the process, we lose sight of who we are and instead become what society wants us to be; mindless drones.

Each and every day becomes a series of repetitive actions and the only thing we look forward to is retirement. Only then are we able to enjoy the rest of our lives and break away from society. Yet even then we are dependent on money and the only income we have is the money we saved and social security. Wouldn’t it be easier to find happiness in life rather than money?

We need to realize that happiness does not reside in money or in material possessions. We could have all the money in the world and still feel utterly alone. Though money is important it does not determine your happiness. We need to be true to ourselves and not give up our dreams because it won’t result in a high income. When we finally recognize that money is not happiness, it is then that we can truly be happy.

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
-Marilyn Monroe

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
-Mae West

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
-Robert Frost

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
-Oscar Wilde

“It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”
-Andre Gide

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
-Mother Teresa

“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget.”
-Arundhati Roy

“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, Love like you’ll never be hurt, Sing like there’s Nobody listening, And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
-William W. Purkey

I am currently reading a book written by my friend Jennie Ketcham. I met Jennie through my boyfriend, Kevin, at one of his work functions. She is extremely funny and was always laughing at one thing or another. She had told me back in December about her memoir that was coming out and how she was trying to get everything together before her deadline. I was really impressed at how dedicated she was to finishing her novel. Many writers just imagine themselves famous instead of putting in the work to accomplish their dream. However, Jennie is not an ordinary writer. She is not just seeking fame. She wanted people to read about her life and accomplishments and actually learn something from it.

When her book/memoir finally came out, I decided to purchase it though Kindle because I find it more convienent than carrying a book around everywhere I go. Plus my boyfriend purchased the hard copy so I could just borrow it from him if I ever needed to. I started reading it as soon as I purchased it and was mesmerized from the very beginning. Jennie has a way of writing that is so raw and unashamed that it captures her audience from the start. I am about 1/3 of the way through and I have to admit that it is extremely hard to put the book (or in my case my iPhone) down.

What makes this memoir/book different from any other book is that Jennie is brutally honest and has no qualms in expressing her opinion. She is extremely intelligent as well as honest, which are traits more people need in this world. Not many people are able to change their life and stick to it. This book is a real eye opener and I encourage everyone to read it at least once.

Today my roommate, Amber, and I decided to jump start our exercise regimen by going on a hike. I am not quite sure where the hiking trail is located exactly but I do know it is somewhere in Palos Verdes. When we arrived at the trail we were excited as well as pumped to get the hike started. Though the temperature was a little high, it did not deter us from enjoying the beautiful, sunny day.

It took us about five minutes to get to the first sign post and we decided to take the trail to the right. Boy did we pick the wrong trail. We were about one minute into the trail when it took a dramatic change. From our point of view, the trail was literally a straight line up. Well maybe not a complete straight line but somewhere close to it. By the second minute we were breathless and our calves were burning!! I seriously thought we were in boot camp or something similar to it. Thank god we decided to push ourselves because we would never have made it to the top.

After completing the hike, I realized something important. If we do not fight and push ourselves each and every day, we will never be able to reach our goals and dreams. Life is complicated and extremely unpredictable just like that hiking trail. If we give up and lose sight of what we are fighting for, we will never reach the top. Therefore, we must remember to push ourselves every day so that in the end we can look back and be proud of where we are instead of where we wish we could be.

Below are some pictures we took when we reached the top. The view is amazing and truly gives me an appreciation for life.

This picture and quote is truly inspiring. Many people in this world, not just married couples, no longer have the mindset to fix what is broken. Many couples nowadays just take the easy way out and throw away everything they had before. But my question to them is: If you truly loved your significant other, why would you give up so easily now? I know that if my boyfriend and I were wedded, I would do everything in my power to fight for what we have. I would never give up because this is the man that I fell in love with. He is the reason for my laughter and happiness. He makes me whole.

What people need to realize is that nothing is easy. It takes hard work to survive and what makes things a little bit easier is having the love of your life fighting each day by your side.

Did you know the divorce rate in the U.S. is:

41% for the first marriage
60% for the second marriage
73% for the third marriage

I don’t know about you, but I will be fighting against the statistics and I will do everything in my power to fix what is broken instead of giving up.